showstopper

noun

show·​stop·​per ˈshō-ˌstä-pər How to pronounce showstopper (audio)
1
: an act, song, or performer that wins applause so prolonged as to interrupt a performance
2
: something or someone exceptionally arresting or attractive
the gold crown was the showstopper of the exhibition
3
: one that stops or could stop the progress, operation, or functioning of something
showstopping adjective

Examples of showstopper in a Sentence

at the modeling agency everyone was a showstopper
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dignified and proud as the handsome house is, the arboretum-like grounds are the real showstopper. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 30 July 2025 Begin with bubbling escargot or a rich, creamy foie gras, but the showstopper is the seafood tower filled with tuna tartare, East Coast oysters, shrimp and lobster with mignonette sauce. Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025 While the rooms are impressive, the real showstopper is the transparent semi-cantilevered pool at the heart of the resort. New Atlas, 20 July 2025 The showstopper is a grid of glass windows, their square panes joined with a cross-hatch of cedar two-by-fours, which continues its grid onto the ceiling. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for showstopper

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of showstopper was in 1916

Cite this Entry

“Showstopper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/showstopper. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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